Earlier last month we introduced the daintiest diamond threader made for multiple piercings. This delicate threader features two 1.2mm round brilliant diamonds, that have been bezel set, and sits on the tiniest solid gold chain.

xx,

Anastassia

I've been intrigued by the idea of the Archetype; the secret forces behind human behaviour, which exist in a non physical realm. An inner entity that triggers our basic instincts and emotions to come to pre-existing patterns and predictable behavioural outcomes. These archetypes embody the basic human motivation.

Many more to come. If you're curious to follow along, I'll be sharing the creation process on my IG stories.

Much love,

Anastassia

I've been in search of inspiration for my next collection through literature this past month. If I'm being honest, I've always relied on the "outside forces" (genius/universe/divine... whatever you want to call it) to bring in inspiration. Those creative breaks are incredible but are scarce.

This month I've found brilliance in the idea that inspiration and motivation is the by product of action. With this thought in mind, I decided to embark on a personal challenge to inspiration and create 40 designs in 40 days (rain on shine).

I am one week into the challenge and I feel liberated. Designing for the sake of designing (without a production or material restriction) I've discovered a new side of my aesthetic that I didn't know existed. The sketches that I've done so far have a lot of masculine lines which come as a surprise since I've always created pieces with feminine and freeform line..

I'm super excited to see the 40 designs come together and see which ones I choose to create for my next collection.

Here are some snapshots:

For other artists and designers out there, I truly recommend this challenge. It really helps to unlock those creative juices.

xo,

A

It's been a little over a year since we launched the Amour ring - our very first design for the alternative bridal collection. This piece holds a plethora of meaning to us, as it marked a turning point for Anastassia Sel Jewelry.

We are pleasantly surprised that the very piece that means so much to us, became our best seller and a staple of our company.

Now that our lovely Amour brides are getting married (or eloping which seems to be our demographic), we have put together some wedding band design options for them to pair with their omen of love...

Amour Chevron Band - Twist on a traditional wedding band, fits from the top or the bottom of the engagement ring.

Amour Diamond Halo Band - A statement diamond crown, that holds both on it's own and as a pair, meant to traces the bottom of the engagement ring.

Stay tuned for many more designs to come!

We are so excited to introduce new products to our line as the business continues to grow. This year we have taken a deep dive into fine jewelry, as the demand for our engagement ring collection continues to flourish (Yay!).

We have found that gold and precious gemstones have become more than just materials for us but little treasures that we arrange and rearrange to create poetic delights. With this thought in mind, we have decided to continue in the direction of exclusively fine.

As we keep the momentum going in our designs, we went searching for new inspiration to Iceland; the land of ice and fire.

We saw water in so many forms and land that was rich with supernatural wonder and folklore.

One of our adventures took us behind a waterfall, where we found moss infused with droplets of water, accumulated from the mist hovering in the air.

Needless to say, we were mesmerized by these tiny diamond drop like wonders. The design that was born from that experience was instantaneous; diamond mist drops.

Side story - When Anastassia was 9, her mom had a crystal jewelry box. When her parents were away, Anastassia would rummage through it for hours, indulging in it's adornments . One of her favourite pieces was a single golden threader that she was dying to wear when she (finally) got her ears pierced. Always majestic, no matter the number of times she looked at it.

Fast forward 20 years, this tiny heirloom now sits in Anastassia's jewelry box.

In light of Mother's Day, we created a rendition of Anastassia's heirloom piece, dedicated to her mom.

May the new one bring as much happiness to someone as it did her.

xx

We are so excited for the holiday season and all that it has to bring. December has been a busy month for us with many changes and new opportunities. This month we've been collaborating and partnering up with Canadian designers of various mediums and launching our new collection to the public through private trunk shows and pop-ups.

We are partnering up with a local sustainable clothing brand, Nopaulagies for our upcoming pop up shop. It will be located at 38 Ossington Ave (intersection of Queen and Ossington) in Toronto. The space is light and airy and will be a perfect home for our jewels for the week of December 27 - December 31.

Come by for a visit!

xx

Anastassia

With the summer in full swing, we are working on a couple of new pieces for our alternative bridal line. We can't wait for them to be finished so that we can share them with the world. Here are some images to whet the appetite:

Until next time!

xo,

Anastassia

While following your dream can be extremely self fulfilling, it can also mean long hours, sleepless nights and even fear (to not utilize one's own potential). Throughout the years we've learned that the best way to tame those fears is to relish in small victories. A sale, a new client, a publication, or a stranger wearing one of our pieces.

This month we've received a number of small victories and wanted to share them with you all.

Elle Canada July 2017

Profile Feature:

Editorial Feature:

On-line feature:

Our proudest moment this month would have to be Nelly Furtado wearing our palm cuff and Assipio Ring in Elle Quebec July 2017 issue. My Portuguese husband is super proud of this one, as am I.

We feel eternally grateful and hope for many more small (and big) victories to come.

Anastassia

It's a beautiful day that we are happily spending in our favourite spot(our studio). With the warm weather finally here, we are working on a number of unique rings for our soon to be engaged and married couples. Over the years, we've noticed that custom orders, especially wedding and engagement projects, give us the most meaning to our work. Sketching designs, together with the bride and groom, and creating a story that they wear for the rest of their lives... its beyond words. It's poetry.

The process first begins with initial sketches based on the couple's description and inspirations.

After this, our designs are created in digital form for the customer's approval.

Following this, the piece is created in wax and cast using the desired metal.

After this, the cast ring is sanded, polished, set with stones and brought to life.

Custom engagement rings are a great option for those with a specific vision and desire for a ring that is truly one of a kind.

A :)

I've been in the studio all week getting ready for INLAND, and finishing pieces for my dear clients in the US and UK (you guys are amazing!). Putting the final touches on pieces and packaging has to be my favourite part of the process. Everything comes together like a perfect painting. With that said, I thought I'd share what my packaging process looks like!

Now, back to work!

XO,

Anastassia

I've recently had to answer an interview question which asked me what my favorite piece of jewelry was. While I love all things shiny (especially diamonds, sapphires and moonstones) my go to jewelry is always ear cuffs. In case you guys haven't been exposed to the ear crawler phenomena, this type of ear jewelry essentially starts at the bottom of your ear and “crawls” its way up to the top of your ear, hence called the ear crawler. These are some of my favorites:

Realm Ear Crawler and Aphelion Ear Cuff for the contemporary look.

The Cosmic Ray Ear Crawler for the delicate look.

The Languish Ear Crawlers for the faceted, edgy look.

The Branch Ear Crawlers for the organic look.

Ear climbers, crawler, cuffs, jackets or covers, what ever you want to call them, they are super cool. Join the rage!

P.S. New ear cuff designs launching next month!

XO,

Anastassia

Lately I've been wildly obsessed with everything vintage. This week its specifically small, French, vintage inspired velvet ring boxes. Surprisingly enough these beauties are available only in a handful of shops. Below are some of my favourites.

AMONIE: Using the finest velvet and ribbon, Amonie engagement ring boxes are custom designed in Australia. Each piece is handmade and has a heirloom quality, ensuring they will be a treasure to keep for generations to come.

XO,

A

Now that the bride's ring finger is taken care of, it is time to choose the grooms wedding band. It can be tough to find something that he will wear for years to come if he does not wear rings regularly.

To help you in your quest for a unique men’s wedding band you can explore the different wedding band materials, styles and designs available to the groom.

Currently there is a growing trend in organic wedding bands. Possibly inspired by the trending Game of Thrones, or by our desire to be conscious beings, the organic look is definitely here to stay. Whether the band is hammered, faceted or chiseled, this contemporary approach to design will be timeless.

When it comes to the wedding band's finish, a subdued matte finish is most popular at the moment.

Personalized wedding bands are on point right now. While engraving your wedding band isn’t anything new, it should be uniquely you, after all. You can add your names, your wedding date or a cute message on the inside of the band for a truly one-of-a-kind ring.

Oxidization is also a great alternative finish for a band. It enhances the texture while introducing an edge (quite literally).

While gold is always a great go-to, couples today appreciate the beauty of platinum and want their wedding rings to stand the test of time.

Hope this helped your exciting search for the best alternative ring!

Good luck,

A

Cut, Carat, Colour and Clarity, the 4 C's, the universal language that will help you pick out the right diamond for your engagement ring.

The term "cut" has two meanings, one is the diamond's shape, the other is the quality, determined by its proportions, symmetry and polish.

The top-selling diamond cut shape is the round brilliant which is typically used in a conventional engagement ring. If tradition is not what you're after, the marquise, pear, oval, hexagon or fancy rose cut shapes are great picks to satisfy the alternative mind.

The cut of a diamond is considered to be the most important factor with respect to its beauty. The cut determines how the light is reflected and dispersed within a stone.

The colour of a diamond is actually evaluated based on the absence of colour. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) uses a 12 letter scale of D to Z where the diamond on the lower end of the scale (D) will have the least amount of colour (a.k.a. colourless) and the higher end of the scale (Z) has deeper tones (and enters the fancy colour spectrum).

Of the 4 C's, the carat weight is the easiest to understand. A diamond's weight is measured in carats. The carat is subdivided into 100 equal parts called 'points.' One point equals .01 carat or 1/100 carat.

The clarity of a Diamond's internal characteristics known as inclusions or external characteristics known as blemishes. Diamonds without inclusions or blemishes are rare; however, most characteristics can only be seen with magnification.

While the above is the standard, its important to note that diamonds come in raw form before they are cut and polished. The raw uncut diamond has its own exquisite character. People have now started appreciating the beauty of organic rough diamonds and raw diamond engagement rings are gaining popularity among those who want something really special.

A unique engagement ring doesn’t have to be odd or eccentric (unless that's the intent). Simply put, an unconventional ring is one that steps outside the box of traditional Diamond solitaires, classic settings and stone combinations.

Choosing an unusual stone can be the first step to picking the perfect engagement ring. Rainbow Moonstone, Opal, Tourmaline and Morganite are all beautiful alternatives to the traditional Diamond. They each posses very distinct and unique visual qualities which make them ideal candidates for a one of a kind, engagement ring.

If you are keen on the idea of a traditional Diamond, you can mix things up by adding a contemporary or vintage style setting. You can also opt for a black Diamond or play with new metals and textures.

It's also important to note your partner's style. Are they minimalistic? Do they like vintage? Are they into elaborate designs or do they like more organic free-form pieces? These are some of the things that can determine if the ring will be a twist on a classic halo engagement ring or a hexagon cut split band engagement ring.

Good luck!

A

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